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Padres are recipient of a 2013 Alonzo Award

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The Downtown San Diego Partnership is proud to announce the 2013 award recipients for the 51st Annual Alonzo Awards to be held this Thursday evening at the San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina in Downtown.

The annual event honors the people, projects, and places that have made significant contributions to the revitalization and advancement of Downtown. Each award recipient was carefully selected by a committee comprising of local business and community leaders.

"The Alonzo Awards are about honoring the best of the best in Downtown San Diego. During the selection process, we reviewed dozens of highly qualified entries. The 14 final awardees we selected have gone above and beyond in their contributions to help create a smart, sustainable, and livable Downtown for generations to come," said Craig Benedetto, chairman of the events committee for the Downtown San Diego Partnership.

"America is in the midst of an urban renewal - and this includes Downtown San Diego," said Kris Michell, president and CEO of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. "This year's award recipients have all demonstrated in their own way the leadership and understanding of what it takes to create a world-class urban center for all San Diegans to enjoy."

"We congratulate our 2013 award recipients for their dedication towards the advancement of our San Diego region. As Downtown marks the next chapter in its evolution, it is important to recognize the leaders who will continue to help shape our urban center, which will ultimately benefit the entire region," said Keith B. Jones, chairman of the board of directors for the Downtown San Diego Partnership.

The Downtown San Diego Partnership will also unveil its 20-year vision plan for the future of Downtown at the dinner.

2013 Award Recipients:

President's Award: Presented at the discretion of the Downtown San Diego Partnership President & CEO in recognition of exceptional service to Downtown and the community.

• DUANE J. ROTH (in memory of a lifetime of service): Through his vision and drive, Duane J. Roth left an indelible mark on San Diego's innovation economy, helping to shape our region's fortunes now and for generations to come. Duane was an influential thought-leader who defined the discussion and led the charge on how best to support and grow the three critical pillars of San Diego's economy: uniformed military, tourism, and innovation. From the ground up, he built an entire ecosystem that supported and celebrated our region's finest minds and entrepreneurs. His commitment to Downtown San Diego and the entire region never wavered and his life's work will long live on.

Chairman's Award: Presented at the discretion of the Downtown San Diego Partnership's Chairman in recognition of exceptional service to the Downtown community.

• DENE OLIVER: Dene Oliver is CEO of OliverMcMillan, one of the country's largest and most forward-thinking mixed-use development companies. The award-winning firm has developed and managed more than eight million square feet of mixed-use projects, with a total project value exceeding $3 billion. In 1978 Dene founded OliverMcMillan with his life-long friend Jim McMillan. These two proud San Diego natives began work on what was to become an AIA-award winning portfolio of redevelopment projects in their hometown. In the 1990s, OliverMcMillan's work in the Gaslamp Quarter helped spur the revitalization of Downtown San Diego, garnering the firm widespread recognition. Dene Oliver has championed efforts to address homelessness as co-chair of the Campaign to End Homelessness in Downtown San Diego.

Founder's Award: Presented in recognition of a lifetime of visionary leadership in Downtown San Diego.

• NAT BOSA: Nat Bosa is more than just a leader in the development industry. He is also a community leader known for his unquestionable integrity, his compassion, and for working tirelessly to improve San Diego. Nat founded Bosa Development Corporation more than 40 years ago and has delivered tens of thousands of new homes to communities spanning the continent, including Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Diego. He has helped re-imagine San Diego's waterfront and spent a decade ushering his vision through. Last year, Nat and his wife, Flora, donated $5 million toward the construction of the Monarch School's new campus in Downtown.

Sustainable Business Practice Award: Presented in recognition of a company, individual, building, or program that has gone above and beyond local, state, and federal regulations in creating best practices in sustainability.

• UNIFIED PORT OF SAN DIEGO: The Port of San Diego partnered with SDG&E to produce five key energy efficiency programs, with a goal to achieve long-term environmental, social and economic benefits through resource conservation, waste reduction and pollution prevention. With the Port's facilities operating more efficiently, the Port is preserving the San Diego Bay while improving its financial vitality.

Vic Kops Humanitarian Award: Presented in recognition of humanitarian efforts that have contributed significantly to Downtown San Diego.

• COX COMMUNICATIONS: Cox Communications has long been an active member of the Downtown San Diego community. This year, Cox Communications pledged $25,000 toward the Downtown San Diego Partnership's "Make Change Count" program to discourage panhandling by providing the public an opportunity to donate directly to programs and services to end homelessness. These red meters - also known as donation stations - were placed downtown to allow the public to make donations directly to help fund innovative programs. Cox's generous donation will help the Downtown San Diego Partnership continue to raise the funds to provide the services needed to effectively address homelessness in downtown.

Alonzo Awards: Presented in recognition of efforts that have contributed significantly to the enhancement and enrichment of Downtown San Diego in the past year.

• FOX SPORTS SAN DIEGO: Launched in 2012, Fox Sports San Diego is located in Diamondview Tower overlooking Petco Park and is the premier regional sports network. With an all-star broadcast team, it is the home of the San Diego Padres as well as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. Off the air, Fox Sports San Diego is dedicated to giving back to the community it calls home. The network has donated generously to various non-profit groups and our local military. Fox Sports San Diego is a true community partner and their commitment to the advancement of Downtown and local community pride is evident in all that they do.

• COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT SAN DIEGO DOWNTOWN: The Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Downtown hotel recently completed a cutting-edge, multi-million dollar renovation. As part of this revitalization, the hotel unveiled what is called THE LOBBY, a vibrant new space for dining, working and relaxing. Housed in the historic San Diego Trust and Savings Bank building, this boutique hotel is an iconic San Diego landmark located within walking distance of the central business district and many of the city's premier leisure attractions. The transformation meets modern travelers' needs while creating a relaxing urban ambience.

• SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE: Celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2014, San Diego City College is a vital part of Downtown serving more than 25,000 students. The San Diego Community College District is carrying out a $1.6 billion construction program that has created nearly 6,000 jobs for local builders and enhanced the educational opportunities for its 100,000 students.

• ZEETO MEDIA: Zeeto Media was founded in 2010 by two 23-year-old entrepreneurs: Matt Marcin and Stephan Goss. Zeeto Media is a premium content publisher that specializes in customized advertising programs across various platforms including: the Web, Social, and Mobile. The flourishing tech company has grown from three employees to more than 50 today. Zeeto Media's continued success and their commitment to Downtown is an important building block to creating a leading-edge tech hub in our community.

• SAN DIEGO PADRES: When Bumble Bee Foods went looking for a new headquarters, the San Diego Padres quickly stepped up to the plate to ensure the Showley Candy Factory Building at PETCO Park made the short list. While the historic brick building had sat empty for close to a decade, the Padres knew that luring Bumblebee and its 140 employees would be a boon to Downtown's ongoing renaissance. The San Diego Padres worked tirelessly to clear any and all obstacles to ensure that Bumblebee would be able to join the growing roster of companies choosing to move to Downtown.

• ROB WELLINGTON QUIGLEY, ARTURO M. CASTRO OF TUCKER SADLER ARCHITECTS, AND RICK BACH OF TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY: The New Central Library is a civic icon designed to celebrate community and foster the power of knowledge and information in the 21st century. Fueled by extensive citizen input, renowned architects Rob Wellington Quigley and Arturo M. Castro created the breath-taking design that Turner Construction Company made into a reality. This $185 million landmark project is also much more than a library as it hosts a charter school, an auditorium, special event spaces, study rooms, a garden courtyard, a café and much, much more.

• JEFF GRAHAM, PRESIDENT OF CIVIC SAN DIEGO: With the end of redevelopment, city leaders soon realized they needed to create a plan to continue the important work of revitalizing our neighborhoods. From those discussions, Civic San Diego was born and city leaders quickly tapped Jeff Graham to lead the organization to carry forward the important work of reinvesting in our communities. Jeff, who joined Centre City Development Corporation in July 2007, has a well-deserved reputation for coming up with bold and thoughtful financing strategies to help make big projects happen.

The Downtown San Diego Partnership is a non-profit, member-based organization that serves as the leading advocate for the growth and revitalization of Downtown San Diego. To learn more about the 51st Annual Alonzo Awards, visit: www.downtownsandiego.org.